Before Thursday’s Tri-County Athletic League home baseball
contest with Salinas, Hollister High should present the Cowboys
with a nice thank-you card. After that, it’s play ball.
Before Thursday’s Tri-County Athletic League home baseball contest with Salinas, Hollister High should present the Cowboys with a nice thank-you card.
After that, it’s play ball.
The Cowboys did the Balers a huge favor Tuesday by edging first place Live Oak 1-0 in 11 innings in Salinas. The Cowboys (16-13, 7-5) squeezed the winning run in the bottom of the 11th when Patrick Garcia scored Zach McKibbin. McKibbin had tagged up from second on a fly ball to medium center to make it to third.
While the Cowboys and Acorns (15-9, 9-3) were engaged in a thriller, the Balers (18-6, 9-3) were crosstown busy trying to pull away from a pesky North Slainas team. The Balers posted a 7-1 victory behind the pitching of Kelly Kramer. Kramer allowed just one hit in six innings and fanned nine. He walked four. Justin Patton pitched a scoreless seventh for the Balers.
Baler head coach Neal Andrade was happy that his team made zero errors, but he thought his club didn’t adjust at the plate enough against the North Salinas lefty Chris Carma. Carma (2-4) kept the Balers at bay with a tantalyzing curveball.
“We didn’t adjust very well,” said Andrade.
Eric Diaz Jr. had two hits, including a double for the Balers. Others in the two-hit club were Josh Badillo and Nick Gonzalez. Gonzalez had a double, also. Manny Hinojos added a two-run single for the Balers.
This Thursday’s Balers-Cowboys game is earmarked as a rematch of the classic pitcher’s duel between Diaz and the Cowboys Chris Shively, who locked horns on March 31. That game was eventually won by the Balers 2-1 in eight innings.
Note: Last Saturday’s rained-out game at Gilroy has been rescheduled for this Saturday at noon at Gilroy.
